Graphite in the street

”Do we need a Silver version of the X-Pro2?” This was a question that was asked at one of our many product planning meetings at the office. The question produced a second version of the X-Pro2 – but why is the color is not "Silver" or "Graphite Silver", but an all-new "Graphite" color?

The X-Pro2 is a camera which is akin to a "ninja". Its desire is to be "inconspicuous" in order to carry out the imposed work. So initially, the color black made perfect sense. But black was not enough. The demand for color variations was evident.Generally speaking, black can represent a sense of formality. Charcoal grey and navy blue are also widely accepted.

With the X-Pro2, we had to create a color that blended well in the streets, but is also not black. Graphite was the final decision.

From magnesium to aluminum and plastic, all materials needed to harmonize in this new Graphite color. The quality control must be maintained to have consistency in Graphite color.

In addition to variant tendency in color (bluish, reddish, greenish hues etc.), the brightness of the paint also varies. Achieving consistent color is a result of manufacturing technology and process control technology.

As mentioned in another article, the application of semi-gloss Black paint was a challenge. We faced another big challenge for the Graphite version. If the X-Pro2 were not a flagship model, developers and production lines would have never accepted the color.

But a Graphite camera body alone was not enough to provide a sense of total harmonization for our new Graphite color. So, we also worked on the development of the XF23mmF2 and its lens hood.

The XF23mmF2 is a standard that fits perfectly with the camera. In terms of angle of view, XF23mm is probably the preferred choice for many street photographers.

XF23mm is a good choice to capture the scenery of what's happening in the streets. The angle of view allows for the subject to stand out while its surrounding are not trimmed out. The balance is just perfect.

Semi-gloss Black or Graphite? The choice is difficult for photographers, but their subjects on the street would never care about that. And that is exactly how it should be.